How to Do Cup Stacking

The Basics

• 1

  Find a flat surface. You want a level surface that will provide traction for the cups. Tables, counter tops, and even the floor are all popular options. You can also use a stack mat. Stack mats are mats specially designed for cup stacking, many of which come equipped with stopwatches to time yourself.

• 2

  Up stack your cups. Up stacking is setting your cups into a specific pattern, typically a pyramid. Use both hands to place your cups in the designated pattern as quickly as possible. Hold the cups loosely, gripping the sides of the cups so that your hands won't get in the way of one another.

• 3

  Down stack your cups. Down stacking is taking the cups you put into a pattern and returning them to a single stack of cups. Use both hands, the same way you did with up stacking. Grip the cups loosely on the sides, and slide them rather then slamming them down forcefully.

3 Stack

• 4

  Place three cups in a stack on a flat surface in front of you. Make sure the cups are set so that the bottom of the cups are facing toward you. Place the cups within comfortable reach of you hands, so you can grab the top cups just by moving your arm.

• 5

  Use your dominant hand to take the top cup off the stack and place it next to the remaining two cups. Use your other hand to grab the next cup from the stack and place it on top of the other two, forming a pyramid shape. Grip the cups gently on the sides, so that your hands won't get in the way of each other.

• 6

  Use your dominant hand again to slide the top cup downward toward your dominant side. This means that if you are right-handed, use your right hand to slide the top cup down toward the right. This makes a stack of two cups. Use your other hand to grab the remaining cup and add it to the stack. Always slide the cups, rather than grabbing them and slamming them in place, because it keeps your movements more fluid and makes it go faster.

6 Stack

• 7

  Stack six cups in front of you, keeping the bottom of the cups facing upward. Using your dominant hand, grab the first three cups off the stack. You should have one finger on each cup, spreading the cups apart gently.

• 8

  Use your other hand to grab two more cups from the stack, using the same method of spreading the cups with your fingers. You should now have three cups in one hand, two cups in the other and one cup remaining on the surface in front of you.

• 9

  Alternate your hands, beginning with your dominant side, and drop cups on either side of the remaining cup. Once you have three cups in a row, alternate your hands again to drop two more cups on top of those first three. Then place the last cup on top of the pile. You should have a pyramid of cups with three at the base, two in the center, and one on the top.

• 10

  Grab the top cup with your dominant hand. Grab the cup on the second row that corresponds to your other hand. This means that if you are right-handed, your right hand should be on the top cup and your left hand should be grabbing the left cup of the second row.

• 11

  Slide your dominant hand downward at a diagonal to create a stack of three cups. Slide your other hand downward at a diagonal to make a stack of two cups. Place both these stacks on the remaining cup to create your original single stack of six cups.